As a provider of after-school programs for youth in grades K- 12, working in partnership with the Salem Public Schools, we write today to alert the community and ask for your support in the face of impending funding cuts that will eliminate free after-school and summer programs that are so important for over 300 Salem students as well as other North Shore youth in Lynn, Peabody and Gloucester.
Just one week before summer programs were to begin, President Trump suspended funding for all 21st Century Community Learning Center (21CCLC) programs. In Salem, this includes middle school programs run by LEAP for Education and elementary school programs run by the Salem YMCA, both in partnership with the Salem Public Schools. Fortunately for Massachusetts, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) was able to find funds to ensure summer programs could go forward as planned, but funding for the school year is in peril. The suspension is pending further review by the federal Department of Education to see if the “programs align with the President’s priorities”.
We must let our congressional members know how important these programs are. Sign on to the Afterschool Alliance congressional letter by clicking https://win.newmode.net/afterschoolalliance/presidentbudget2025
These are programs that:
– Have already been authorized and funding appropriated by Congress
– Affect 1.4 million largely low-income, English language learners, and special needs students nationwide
– Provide multiple benefits, from improving academic performance to providing a safe child care solution for working parents
Locally, LEAP for Education, Inc. runs middle school programs in Lynn and Salem that served 250 students in the school year just ended. LEAP has been running these after-school and summer programs since 2013 in Salem and 2020 in Lynn, providing academic support and enrichment as well as career services. The frozen funding covers about 50% of expenses for the Lynn program and about 33% for the Salem program; LEAP covers the remaining costs through philanthropic donations. These cuts disrupt programs that are proven to increase attendance at schools, engagement in learning, academic achievement, social-emotional health, and post-secondary enrollment.
Speaking out to preserve funding is critical because these programs have so many benefits, not only to students and their families, but to Lynn and Salem communities as well.
– Provide safe, structured, and affordable after-school and summer care. For many working parents, especially single parents or those with non-traditional work hours, these programs are their primary child care solution. Defunding will leave a massive gap in child care, forcing parents to stop working, find alternative arrangements that are often more expensive which can lead to lost wages, job insecurity, and increased financial strain on families. If unavailable or unaffordable, parents may need to leave their kids home alone and unsupervised.
– Offer academic enrichment, homework help, and tutoring, which are particularly vital for students struggling in core subjects or those from disadvantaged backgrounds and English language learners. Cutting these programs would likely lead to a widening of achievement gaps, lower grades, and reduced homework completion rates.
– Allow students to explore new interests, from STEM and the arts to college or career exploration. Eliminating these programs would limit exposure to experiences that complement regular schooling and prepare students for future success.
– Keep kids safe. After school hours are “prime time” for juvenile crime and risky behaviors if children are left unsupervised. The loss of 21st CCLC programs could lead to increased instances of drug use, teen pregnancy, and other negative outcomes, impacting both the students and the wider community. Nearly one-fifth (18%) of violent crimes committed by youth occur in the four hours between 3 and 7 p.m. on school days.
Shuttering these programs will have economic consequences for the broader community in terms of the added strain on public services, such as law enforcement, remedial education, and the lost productivity of working parents.
We know 21CCLC programs work. They’ve been running nationwide since the 1990s and have been studied extensively. In Massachusetts, these programs have strict guidelines and are audited by DESE for quality. You can learn more about them at the Afterschool Alliance website (https://afterschoolalliance.org/documents/issue_briefs/21st-CCLC-Overview-2025.pdf), the primary source of the above data, and on LEAP’s own website (https://leap4ed.org/our-programs/middle-school/).
We need as many people as possible to speak out for our youth and our communities and against these funding cuts.
Let your congressmen and women know you support these after school programs. Make your voice heard here: https://win.newmode.net/afterschoolalliance/presidentbudget2025
Support Leap for Education here: www.leap4ed.org/donate
Linda Saris is the founder and executive director of LEAP for Education, a nonprofit operating free academic, post-secondary and career services programs for over 500 youth in grade 6 through postsecondary graduation in Salem and Lynn.